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Thread: Smith Wesson .357, did I buy the wrong ammo?

  1. #1
    Member johnnyyukon's Avatar
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    Smith Wesson .357, did I buy the wrong ammo?

    So I bought, I believe Federal, .357 ammo, and it goes in the cylinder just fine, just when I tilt the gun back, the bullet where the little lip is, closest to the cylinder release, slides back like a few millimeters.

    The chambered round doesn't seem to move and rotating the cylinder is smooth.

    Am I missing something? I've only used this gun once, and the first ammo, I guess had a wider rim and didn't do this.

    Thoughts?

  2. #2
    Very Pro Dentist Chuck Haggard's Avatar
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    It would be normal for unfired ammo to slide back and forth in the cylinder like that.

    By bullet I assume you mean cartridge? Not trying to be a dick, trying to be precise in communication details.

  3. #3
    Member johnnyyukon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chuck Haggard View Post
    It would be normal for unfired ammo to slide back and forth in the cylinder like that.

    By bullet I assume you mean cartridge? Not trying to be a dick, trying to be precise in communication details.
    All good. Yeah, cartridge. Doesn't that mean the whole bullet?

  4. #4
    Very Pro Dentist Chuck Haggard's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by johnnyyukon View Post
    All good. Yeah, cartridge. Doesn't that mean the whole bullet?
    The cartridge is the whole package, brass/powder/bullet/etc., the bullet is the part that launches down the barrel to hit the target when the cartridge fires.

  5. #5
    Member johnnyyukon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chuck Haggard View Post
    The cartridge is the whole package, brass/powder/bullet/etc., the bullet is the part that launches down the barrel to hit the target when the cartridge fires.
    Ok so the projectile, gotya.

    And the grain is the size/weight of the bullet?

  6. #6
    Very Pro Dentist Chuck Haggard's Avatar
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    Weight, yes. As in a 125gr bullet weighs less than a 158gr bullet

  7. #7
    Very Pro Dentist Chuck Haggard's Avatar
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    A decent resource for nomenclature on ammo;

    https://www.thewellarmedwoman.com/wo...on-demystifier

  8. #8
    Member johnnyyukon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chuck Haggard View Post
    A decent resource for nomenclature on ammo;

    https://www.thewellarmedwoman.com/wo...on-demystifier
    Ok thanks. But back to my original question. The last box hadn't been fired (not sure what that has to do with it) but it did NOT slip like that. Any ideas why? The only thing I can think is that the first box had a wider rim.

  9. #9
    Very Pro Dentist Chuck Haggard's Avatar
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    There can be variations in the thickness of the rim, and in overall outer diameter of the ammo itself. Both would make a difference in that area.

  10. #10
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    The unfired cartridges in my revolver that are not aligned with the barrel rattle back and forth a bit. So, like others have said, that's normal.
    (The round that is fired is not "chambered", the cylinder holding the round is just brought in line with the barrel before the hammer falls. Once the round is fired, the fired cases won't rattle, because the brass has been expanded by the explosive force of the gun powder propelling the bullet down the barrel, and therefore, extraction with the extractor/ejector rod is required).
    On a more fundamental level, always check that the caliber of ammunition you are using matches the caliber of firearm. The caliber is always (or should be) on the barrel of a revolver, and the caliber of the cartridge is imprinted on the base/bottom of the cartridge. It sounds basic, but throwing the wrong ammo in a gun, particularly in a dark range, does happen. In this case, a .357 revolver can fire both the 357 magnum cartridge and the 38 special cartridge (which is a much easier round to shoot). I don't think anything else can fit in there, but double check the headstamp.
    Good luck and be safe.

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